6-year-old Leukemia Patient Lends Support To Friday Blood Drive

July 08, 1998|By DON STACOM; Courant Staff Writer

ENFIELD — Even as she struggles to recover from a serious setback in her fight against leukemia, 6-year- old Clarissa Ingram is lending her name to help the American Red Cross replenish its depleted blood supply.

The Red Cross is sponsoring a blood drive in town Friday, and Clarissa and her family are encouraging people to participate.

``This is something we've felt we'd like people to get out and do -- not so much for Clarissa, but for anyone in our situation,'' Clarissa's mother, Nancy, said Tuesday.

``Clarissa has to receive blood so many times -- she gets a transfusion every other day -- that this [blood drive] would be a way for people to give something back in her name.''

Clarissa had appeared to be free of the cancer in 1996, but suffered several relapses afterward. She started kindergarten last year, but in late May suffered a severe relapse and was hospitalized.

She has been at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford since.

She was receiving chemotherapy, and last month doctors told the family that Clarissa would have to travel to a hospital in Boston for a bone marrow transplant. But the level of white cells in her blood has dropped so low that the chemotherapy and transplant plans have been suspended.

``She hasn't shown signs of marrow recovery and they can't do the transplant, so we're at a standstill,'' Nancy Ingram said from Clarissa's hospital room. ``This has been going on for several weeks now. They're trying to give her medication to raise the [white cell] count, and they're increasing the dosage tomorrow.''

Clarissa spends most of her time in bed watching television or talking with her parents and her sister, Alison, 7, but she goes for occasional wagon rides around the hospital, her mother said.

The Red Cross said Tuesday that 4-year-old Paige Arel of Vernon, who recently was another leukemia patient at the hospital, was dedicating the Enfield blood drive to Clarissa. The drive will be held from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Holy Family Church, 23 Simon Road, and donors are asked to set up appointments by calling (800) 448-3543.

Paige, who befriended Clarissa at the hospital, is undergoing chemotherapy and has gotten encouraging results from recent blood tests, according to her family. Paige is not able to attend the town blood drive, but her family is hoping she will be able to greet donors at a blood drive later this summer in Vernon. It will also be dedicated to Clarissa.

``It's incredible for a 4-year-old to be helping her 6-year-old friend like this,'' said Stephanie Millian, a Red Cross spokeswoman.

The Red Cross' blood reserves in the state are down to as little as one day's supply for some types. Donors of all types are needed, but the most pressing need is for O negative or positive and B negative or positive, Millian said.